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'Neerja': A true story of female bravery
A scene from Neerja where purser Neerja Bhanot tries to reason with a terrorist who is threatening one of the passengers on board Pan Am 73
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span class="caption">A scene from Neerja where purser Neerja Bhanot tries to reason with a terrorist who is threatening one of the passengers on board Pan Am 73. Directed by Ram Madhvani, the movie is entertaining as a biographical thriller with several notable touching moments, especially involving the emotional struggles faced by Neerja's family following the incident. (Photo courtesy of Fox Star Studios)
Movies based on true stories rarely disappoint, especially when they are supported with good storytelling and a talented cast.
The Indian Hindi-language film Neerja, which has been produced under the banner of Fox Star Studios, is based on the life of Neerja Bhanot, the purser on Pan Am Flight 73 flying from Mumbai to Frankfurt via Karachi, Pakistan. As the plane arrived in Karachi to board some passengers on Sept. 5, 1986, it was hijacked by the Libya-backed Abu Nidal organization, who wanted to use the plane to pick up Palestinian prisoners in Cyprus.
The 22-year-old Neerja, who is portrayed as witty and playful at the very beginning of the film, thwarted the hijack attempt by immediately alerting the cockpit crew after the terrorists boarded the plane. Thanks to her quick thinking, the American pilot, co-pilot and the flight engineer were able to follow the protocol in such circumstances, which is evacuating the aircraft through an overhead hatch, thus preventing the plane from taking off.
Her heroic acts continued throughout the long hours of incarceration, including managing to hide the passports of American passengers when the terrorists were about to start executions, scenes which convince the audience that she indeed deserved to be the youngest recipient of India's highest award for bravery, the Ashok Chakra -- the country's highest gallantry award for bravery in the face of the enemy during peace time.
Through flashback scenes of the purser's private life, the audience gets a glimpse of the other side of Neerja: her modeling career, her arranged-marriage that turned sour and her progressing romantic relationship with an old flame; which not only balance the intense scenes throughout the movie but also reveal that the heroine is just an ordinary woman, leading an ordinary life, who happens to get involved and boldly rises above the others in extraordinary circumstances.
Directed by Ram Madhvani, the movie is entertaining as a biographical thriller with several notable touching moments, especially involving the emotional struggles faced by Neerja's family following the incident. Sonam Kapoor as Neerja and Shabana Azmi as Neerja's mother, Rama Bhanot, convincingly portray the characters and how they are strongly connected to each other as mother and daughter.
Besides the message that terrorism is a horrific act of violence act toward innocent people and how a woman's bravery and human kindness can save hundreds of lives and become an inspiration to all, the film also highlights good parenting, as scenes show Neerja being motivated by her father in the past -- "Stay strong. Don't tolerate something that's wrong. Who's my brave girl?" -- becomes her strength to face her fears during the incident. (+)
